Genre: Contemporary Romance

Just One Year by Gayle Forman | Book Review

Posted October 18, 2013 by Jana in Book Review, Young Adult Fiction / 9 Comments

Just One Year by Gayle Forman
Series: Just One Day #2
Also in this series: Just One Day, Just One Night
Published by Dutton Juvenile on October 10, 2013
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romance
Pages: 336
Format: Hardcover
Source: Gift
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The heartrending conclusion—from Willem’s POV—to the romantic duet of novels that began with Allyson’s story in Just One Day

After spending an amazing day and night together in Paris, Just One Year is Willem’s story, picking up where Just One Day ended. His story of their year of quiet longing and near misses is a perfect counterpoint to Allyson’s own as Willem undergoes a transformative journey, questioning his path, finding love, and ultimately, redefining himself.

I loved Just One Day SO much. It is one of my favorite books ever! Just One Year was probably my most anticipated release this fall, and I was dancing around the house when my hardback arrived in the mail. I guess I was expecting something completely different from it, because I am so disappointed. I was hoping for a sweeping romance like the first book, which is not at all what I was given in Just One Year. Anyway, my main points are bolded.

1. This book was not a bad book at all. In fact, it was wonderful. Granted, there were a few passages that moved slowly and caused me to skim a page or two here and there, but I really enjoyed learning about Willem and what happened to him at the end of Just One Day. If I had not gone in with such high expectations, I know I would not have been disappointed. Gayle is a wonderful writer, and she creates amazing stories. Just One Year was great! I just wanted something completely different than she gave me with this book.

2. I connected with Allyson so much in Just One Day, and did not realize until I read Just One Year just how much I liked her. I missed her so much in Just One Year, and found I did not like Willem as much without her around to bring out the best in him. I think that was the point, though. We are meant to see Willem’s struggle, and who he is without Allyson in order to make us want him to find her. I longed for their reunion just as much as he did.

3. I liked the new characters we got to meet. Willem’s mom was endearing, and I enjoyed getting a glimpse into their tumultuous relationship. I liked Willem’s friends, particularly the one who went on part of Willem’s journey to find Allyson. I honestly can’t remember how to spell his name. Haha.

4. I was not the biggest fan of everything Willem did while he was looking for Allyson. I guess I had built him up as Mr. Perfect in my mind, so when he started sleeping with different women and doing drugs, I was so disappointed in him. My heat broke a little as I learned who Willem really is.

5. I enjoyed traveling with Willem on his journey, and I most of all enjoyed watching him learn so much about himself while he was gone. I’ve said it once, and I will say it again: traveling is the most magical way to discover yourself. I loved his happenings in Mexico, his return to India and the reasons behind that, and the string of events that brought him back to Holland. He went through a lot during this year, and even though I had a hard time with some of his choices, I could not help but cheer for him as he figured out what’s best for himself.

6. The ending made me really mad. Haha. I had originally been hoping that Just One Year would pick up right where Just One Day left off. Perhaps Willem would open his door, see Lulu standing there, hug and kiss her like crazy, and then tell her about his year. I would have loved to hear her input on his journey. I would have loved to see a ton of romance. I quickly discovered that would not happen, so I started hoping that the book would be long enough to have some time devoted to their reunion. I was at least hoping for an epilogue! There’s no after. I kind of feel abandoned now. Just as Willem left Allyson with no explanation, these two left me with no explanation.

I finished Just One Year almost a week ago, and I’m still having a hard time processing it. I almost decided to not even write a review. I figured I needed to, though, so I can come back to it someday and remember how I felt and see if I feel any differently as time goes on. I’m not giving it a star review, though, since I just don’t know how I feel. Honestly, my expectations were way too high. It’s like going on a date to a fancy restaurant with the love of your life and thinking he’s going to propose, but instead he dumps you. If I had gone into this book with no expectations, I would have been able to appreciate it for what it is rather than be disappointed in what it isn’t. Really, the only criticism I have is that it was not what I wanted, and it is not what my heart wanted.

Famous Last Words by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski (Mini Book Review)

Posted October 9, 2013 by Jana in Book Review / 3 Comments

Famous Last Words by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski
Published by Henry Holt and Co. on July 2, 2013
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romance
Pages: 288
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher (Mail)
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Sixteen-year-old Samantha D’Angelo has death on the brain. Her summer internship at the local newspaper has her writing obituaries instead of soaking up the sun at the beach. Between Shelby, Sam’s boy-crazy best friend; her boss Harry, a true-blue newspaper man; and AJ, her fellow “intern scum” (aka the cute drummer for a band called Love Gas), Sam has her hands full. But once she figures out what—or who—is the best part of her summer, will she mess it all up?

As Sam learns her way around both the news room and the real world, she starts to make some momentous realizations about politics, ethics, her family, romance, and most important—herself.

Famous Last Words is a cute, light, contemporary read that made me smile. I loved the idea of a newsroom setting, which reminded me of the Mary Tyler Moore show on TV, and I was very excited to read about a quirky teenager who writes obituaries. What a unique idea, huh? While I did enjoy it, there was nothing extremely special or memorable about it.

Sam is a pretty funny girl. She’s an aspiring journalist who lands a job at the town newspaper writing obituaries. I had fun learning right along with her, how life in a newsroom is and what it’s like to be a journalist. It was also fun hearing about the stories of the people she got to write obituaries for. Probably my favorite thing about Sam is that she would write obituaries for people who annoyed the crap out of her, and for herself when she did something stupid or embarrassing. Of course, she would delete them, but her venting was endearing and it made her unique. She’s also clueless when it comes to guys, which I could not help but adore about her. As she wrote about dead people, she figured out how she wanted to live. I liked watching her transition from a silly little girl to a somewhat less silly girl. Haha.

I really liked the guy Sam works with, A.J. He’s nerdy and quirky just like she is, and they’re pretty great friends. He looks out for her, gives her rides, and helps her with her feature obit stories when she needs it. His snarkiness and desire to protect her from the jerk of the office, Tony, was really cute and I ended up liking him a lot. I would have liked to learn more about A.J., as he was my favorite character in the book. Sam’s boss, Harry, reminded me so much of Lou Grant (from Mary Tyler Moore) that I had to laugh about it. And the fact that the copy editor called Sam Moronica was perfect.

All in all, Famous Last Words was a fun little read. I enjoyed it while I read it, but am already forgetting some of the details. Definitely read it if you’re an aspiring journalist and want to see what the newsroom is all about.

Time After Time by Tamara Ireland Stone (Mini Book Review)

Posted September 23, 2013 by Jana in Book Review, Young Adult Fiction / 6 Comments

Time After Time by Tamara Ireland Stone
Series: Time Between Us #2
Also in this series: Time Between Us
Published by Disney Hyperion on October 8, 2013
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romance, Time Travel
Pages: 368
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher (Netgalley)
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Calling Anna and Bennett’s romance long distance is an understatement: she’s from 1995 Chicago and he’s a time traveler from 2012 San Francisco. The two of them never should have met, but they did. They fell in love, even though they knew they shouldn't. And they found a way to stay together, against all odds.

It’s not a perfect arrangement, though, with Bennett unable to stay in the past for more than brief visits, skipping out on big chunks of his present in order to be with Anna in hers. They each are confident that they’ll find a way to make things work...until Bennett witnesses a single event he never should have seen (and certainly never expected to). Will the decisions he makes from that point on cement a future he doesn't want?

Time Between Us was one of my absolute favorite books last year, and kept me thinking for a very long time. I loved the unique take on time travel and the wonderful characters. I was immediately hungry for more of Anna and Bennett’s story, but did not know yet that there was going to be a second novel! I was delightfully surprised to learn of Time After Time, and was even more excited when I received an eARC from the publisher. It’s an amazing story, and I am so happy I got to read more about what’s in store for these two love birds.

This time, we get to read the story from Bennett’s point of view. I have always loved books that place us in the hearts and minds of the male character, so this was a treat. Bennett’s voice is so strong and full of emotion and longing. I love the lengths he will go to for Anna, and the sacrifices he makes to make her happy. Even though traveling has become even more of a challenge both physically and mentally, he is committed to spending as much time with her as he can. The love these two feel for one another is so sweet, and the fact that it can withstand the parameters of their relationship is amazing.

Because Bennett is doing the narrating, we get to learn a lot more about his life in 2012, his family, his talent, and how he feels about everything. He has to make some pretty serious decisions for himself, and I loved the bewilderment he went through as he tried to decide what was right and what was wrong for him. We get to travel with him a lot more, and we are with him when he witnesses an event that makes him question everything he thinks he knows about his an Anna’s future. This deep insecurity and doubt he feels is so real and so heartbreaking! I just wanted to give him a hug and tell him everything would be ok. The turmoil he goes through is tangible. I also loved the tender moments he shares with his dad and his sister, two characters who really grew in Time After Time. I ove Bennett so much more than I did in Time Between Us, and appreciate that Anna was taken out of the spotlight this time around.

The romance is sweeping and swoony. We still get to travel to exotic places and read romantic exchanges between Anna and Bennett. At the same time, though they know this entire relationship is unconventional and has its risks. They are realistic, and act very mature about the trials the relationship is causing them. They are forced to make hard choices. I appreciate that the author did not make things all rainbows and sunshine for them. Struggle builds character, and I really respected both of them as they worked things through.

I loved the ending. Everything ends up as it should, and I’m fully satisfied. :) Definitely pick up Tamara’s books, especially if you love time travel and amazing romances!

Starry Nights by Daisy Whitney (Book Review)

Posted September 20, 2013 by Jana in Book Review, Young Adult Fiction / 8 Comments

Starry Nights by Daisy Whitney
Published by Bloomsbury Children's on September 3, 2013
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Fantasy, Romance
Pages: 288
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher (Netgalley)
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Seventeen-year-old Julien is a romantic—he loves spending his free time at the museum poring over the great works of the Impressionists. But one night, a peach falls out of a Cezanne, Degas ballerinas dance across the floor, and Julien is not hallucinating.

The art is reacting to a curse that trapped a beautiful girl, Clio, in a painting forever. Julien has a chance to free Clio and he can't help but fall in love with her. But love is a curse in its own right. And soon paintings begin to bleed and disappear. Together Julien and Clio must save the world's greatest art . . . at the expense of the greatest love they've ever known.

When I read the synopsis for Starry Nights, I began to covet it immediately. We all know I’m artsy, but I think many people don’t realize how artsy I am! I minored in art history, so a book about art coming to life sold me. As always, my main points are bolded. :)

1. The premise of Starry Nights is SO unique. I’ve always wanted to read a book with such a huge emphasis on art history. The fact that it’s about a boy who falls in love with a girl in a Renoir painting, and dances and eats dessert with her on the museum floor each night made me love it so much. And there are some twists which make it pretty exciting. Who is she? Why does she come to life at night? Why is Julien the only one who can see her? Yeah, these questions are answered in a blend of excitement, suspense, and the love of art.

2. There is SO much art history in this book, and so many mentions of paintings and museums I love. I never made it to the Orsay, which is where this book takes place for the most part, but I have been to the Louvre, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I’ve seen the paintings in this book, and I have imagined them come to life many times. My dreams came true with Starry Nights.

3. Not only does the girl in Renoir’s painting, Clio, come to life, she and Julien can go into other paintings on their dates. They spend time floating on a boat in Van Gogh’s Starry Night, they dance in another, they watch Swan Lake performed by Degas’s dancers, they spend an afternoon on the bridge in Monet’s garden. Clio tells us all about the artists, the paintings, life during that time period, and more. Their conversations are so compelling.

4. You can tell Daisy Whitney loves art, and that’s what made this book so strong. Her descriptions of the museums, the paintings, the emotions, and the romance were utterly mesmerizing. I could picture every wave in The Raft of the Medusa (a painting I absolutely love). I could picture every brush stroke in Van Gogh’s Starry Night. She turned the art into magic.

5. Daisy painted a lovely picture of the artist, Renoir. We get to learn all about him and his desires, inspirations, and thoughts. I love that she made such a famous and influential artist a part of her book. She gave him a personality, and made him real. I’m not sure I’ll ever think of Renoir, or any other artist, the same way again.

6. Daisy took some real liberties with Starry Nights, and I love that she had the guts to do it. A lot of her artistic facts were true, but some of them she put her own spin on them. She created legends, new paintings, inside jokes, and even an explanation for the look on the Mona Lisa’s face. I loved reading about so many fun speculations regarding the art world.

7. I also loved the problem the art began to experience. The book’s synopsis mentions that things start falling out of paintings and that they start bleeding (figuratively) and getting sick. I loved reading about why this happened and the lengths people went to to fix it. It also allowed the art to come alive in a different way. The art itself is depicted as having feelings and desires. In a way, each painting became a character. It was amazing.

8. The characters were great! Julien is such a sweet, caring boy who loves art. Clio is a mystery with a special spirit. They we have Bonheur, a quirky guy who likes to dress up like a girl (wigs and all) and helps Julien figure out who he is and what his purpose is.

9. There were some absolutely breathtaking quotes. Here are some of my favorites:

“When the paintings come out for you, it’s what people have meant all along when they talk about artists being immortal. In a way, their work can live forever. When the art comes alive it’s like the immortal version of the painting, like a little bit of the person painted has gotten to live forever.”

“There is magic somewhere in Paris.”

“The sky could fall, the earth could split open, the garden could tear into two, and I wouldn’t notice.”

“It’s like you can do anything, it’s like the stars exist for you, it’s like you can stop time and fill it with the way your whole heart and mind clicks perfectly with another person. That it’s like the impossible has become possible.”

All in all, this book was a gift to my inner art historian, and is a brand new favorite of mine. The unique storyline is pure magic, and made my senses tingle. I’d give anything to be able to travel through paintings, watch them come to life, and interact with them. Starry Nights allowed me to do that. I would love to read more books like this, and will also definitely be seeking out more of Daisy Whitney’s works. Definitely read this book if you enjoy Paris, art, magic, and romance!

Covet by Tracey Garvis Graves (Book Review)

Posted September 9, 2013 by Jana in Adult Fiction, Book Review / 1 Comment

Covet by Tracey Garvis Graves
Published by Dutton Adult on September 17, 2013
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romance
Pages: 320
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher (Mail)
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What if the life you wanted, and the woman you fell in love with, belonged to someone else?

Chris and Claire Canton’s marriage is on life support. Downsized during the recession and out of work for a year, Chris copes by retreating to a dark place where no one can reach him, not even Claire. When he’s offered a position that will keep him away from home four nights a week, he dismisses Claire’s concern that time apart could be the one thing their fragile union can’t weather. Their suburban life may look idyllic on the outside, but Claire has never felt so disconnected from Chris, or so lonely.

Local police officer Daniel Rush used to have it all, but now he goes home to an empty house every night. He pulls Claire over during a routine traffic stop, and they run into each other again at the 4th of July parade. When Claire is hired to do some graphic design work for the police department, her friendship with Daniel grows, and soon they’re spending hours together.

Claire loves the way Daniel makes her feel, and the way his face lights up when she walks into the room. Daniel knows that Claire’s marital status means their relationship will never be anything other than platonic. But it doesn’t take long before Claire and Daniel are in way over their heads, and skating close to the line that Claire has sworn she’ll never cross.

Everyone who knows me at all knows how much I adore On the Island, and Tracey. When I found out she was writing a new book, I knew I had to have it. It was on my to-read list before it had a title. I didn’t even know what it was about! I just knew if she wrote it, I needed it. When I found out what Covet is about, I was scared. I typically don’t read books like this one, but I trusted my love for Tracey’s storytelling, and went with it. And again, she hit it out of the park. Finally, a women’s fiction novel I’m on board with. I loved it! As always, my main points are bolded. :)

1. Tracey has this amazing knack for tackling controversial subject matter and making it seem less controversial. And I love that she’s not scared to do it. On the Island deals with a non-conventional relationship (a rather sizable age gap), and she wrote it perfectly. It didn’t seem weird anymore. The same goes for Covet. Again, Tracey tackled a non-conventional relationship: an emotional affair. I’m not usually ok with this, but I totally understood these characters and their situations. Maybe it’s because she writes her characters in such a way that you can’t help but be on their side, or maybe she’s just perfect at putting emotions on paper. I don’t know what it is, but it’s a rare talent.

2. I was so invested in everything that was going on, and especially in the outcome. This book hurts! I felt such pain for Claire as I watched her husband neglect her day in and day out. I felt horrible for her husband, Chris, but at the same time I was SO mad at him for not pulling himself out of his funk long enough to realize what he was doing. Daniel made me swoon so much that I wanted to keep him for myself. And I felt so bad for him because he knew going in that Claire was married, but cared enough to just be her friend. Can you help who you fall in love with? These three just ripped me apart. I could not foresee an out come I would be ok with, but Tracey did it. I came out ok, and you will too!

3. The book goes back and forth between Claire, Chris, and Daniel. They each get to tell their story and share their feelings with the reader. I loved this, and I think it really contributed to my feelings of compassion and hope for all of them.

4. The friendship between Daniel and Claire is the kind that comes along once, but sometimes never, in a person’s lifetime. I really can’t even describe how I felt as I read their exchanges and their dialogue. They were there to fill the emotional voids in each other’s lives, and such an intense bond formed that I understood even though I felt like I shouldn’t.

5. Claire and Chris are also wonderful together. I loved reading about their first date and their courtship. And looking in on Chris in his office late at night, and jumping into his mind made me really pull for him. Basically, Claire is a lucky girl to have two great guys going after her!

6. Tracey’s writing is superb! I just love her style.

Overall, Covet is an amazing look into an issue that’s probably a lot more common than we think. I loved and felt for all the characters, and really enjoyed reading it! I’m still a fan of Tracey’s!